#NationalCoffeeDay: Some Things You Didn't Know About Coffee

Ah, coffee. The nectar of the caffeine gods. To some, the only thing that can get them through the day. Just me? Oh, well. *chugs mug of coffee* Anyways, today is #NationalCoffeeDay and everyone is rejoicing, even Facebook and many major coffee shops.

An entire day dedicated to coffee? Celebrate National Coffee Day on 9/29 with a FREE cup of Wawa Coffee! pic.twitter.com/NiO9MmotUR

— Wawa (@Wawa) September 26, 2015

So grab your mug, fill it up and let us enlighten you some pretty crazy coffee knowledge.

But, remember coffee isn’t always free.

How much are you paying for coffee? What a cup costs across the U.S. #NationalCoffeeDay #FWx https://t.co/AT98C5sZAq pic.twitter.com/SIV0309FPa

— Food & Wine (@foodandwine) September 29, 2015

Of course, most coffee drinkers know that a daily regime of sipping joe isn’t just good news for your productivity, but also your life. Research has shown that drinking a cup a day can help ward off serious health concerns, such as cancer or heart disease. We’ll drink to that!

This means that coffee is chalked full of all kinds of great things, like antioxidants and nutrients. According to authoritynutrition.com, a single cup of coffee contains 11% of the daily recommended amount of Riboflavin (vitamin B2), 6% of Pantothenic Acid (vitamin B5), 3% of Manganese and Potassium, and 2% of Niacin and Magnesium. It is also believed to help speed up your metabolism and help burn fat. Not only that, but it can also boost your workout. Drinking a cup of coffee before a workout will increase adrenaline levels and release fatty acids from fatty tissue, which will allow you to go harder, longer and faster than those who don’t consume caffeine before a workout.

Much of these benefits are owed to caffeine. Can we give it up for caffeine for a second?? I mean, what else can you get instant energy? (Well, crack. But that’s illegal and really, really bad for you.) Caffeine is actually tiny crystals that give us that boost as we drink our coffee. Pretty amazing, huh? A microscopic view shows what these magic crystals look like. At about 0.000013 millimeters (is that even a thing? We just now they are super tiny), these little crystal pack a powerful punch.

Did you know that the caffeinating effects of coffee were discovered because of crazy goats? Seriously. According to legend, Ethiopian farmers noticed that their goats began to get extremely hyper after eating coffee berries. That’s right, before the bean is extracted, coffee is a red berry.

Gotta love that caffeine. No matter how much a coffee habit costs, cue multiple daily trips to our local Starbucks… Of course, that venti latte is a steal when you compare it to the most expensive coffee in the world: Black Ivory Coffee. It’ll cost you about $160 per pound and about $50 per cup. Actually, that isn’t the most shocking thing about this coffee. The fact that it made out of elephant poop is. That’s right, Luwak, aka civet, coffee is made by feeding coffee beans to mongoose and then using its feces. Nothing says fancy liking sipping elephant poop.

No more poop talk. Let’s get back to celebrating the liquid gold.Let’s celebrate by using coffee in everything. Oh, it’s possible. From your beauty regime to baked goods, here’s the most unusual and awesome uses for the brown little beans.

Kill Odors

We knew coffee could do remarkable things, like make us go to work on a Monday morning, but did you know that coffee can help eliminate stinky odors in pretty much anywhere. For example, place a bowl of unused coffee grounds inside a stinky fridge and let it sit for 2-3 days. Voila. No more stench. You can use this method on other things, just put the smelly object in a bag with coffee grounds.

Get Rid Of Cellulite

Shut the front door. Women around the world, listen up. Caffeine is said to increase the metabolism of fat, which is the science behind pretty much any anti-cellulite cream on the market. To make your own cream, combine warm, used coffee grounds and coconut oil. Massage the mixture onto trouble areas with circular motions. Let it sit for awhile and then rinse.

Coffee Cookies

We just had to throw this one in, because who doesn’t love a good cookie? Think of the fantastic combination that a cookie and fresh cup of coffee make, now imagine them combined in one handheld piece of sugary perfection. This recipe seems easy with the choice to use fresh ground coffee or instant crystals.

Shiny Hair

Brew a pot extra strong. Let it cool and pour onto clean locks. Leave it on for about twenty minutes, then rinse. Repeat this process once a week until you get the results you want.

Clear Skin

Now that your hair is nice and shiny. Get your skin in tip-top shape. A tablespoon of fresh grounds, a tablespoon of olive oil and a drop of your favorite essential oil will create your very own facial scrub. Not only will the texture buff away dead skin, but the caffeine will help tighten skin.

There are some many interesting uses for this internationally loved drink. What are some unusual uses you have for coffee? With all of this coffee knowledge, there is nothing left to do than grab a cup of joe. What’s your favorite coffee beverage? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter. We would love to hear from you!

Oh, and just in case you can’t get enough caffeinated celebration in just one day, make sure to celebrate International Coffee Day on October 1.